gunnison



Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. GUNNISON, F MADISON, WISCONSIN.

DRAG BUCKET.

Application filed January 23, 1926.

This invention relates to excavating apparatus and more particularly to 'an' improved dragbucket or scraper.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a generally improved and sunplified construction that may be economically produced.

Another object is the provision of a device which will have great strength and which will not require cross braces and the like.

Another object is the provision of the de" vice having scraping edges along the top and bottom so that the device may be reversed and operated in either position.

Another object is to adapt the device for use in hard ground or the like by provldmg its scraping or excavatitng edges wlth sharpened blades or plow points.

Another object is to relieve the draft means or drag links, particularly ad acent their connection with the scraper or bucket of excessive wear in the operation of the device.

To acquaint those skllled 1n the art w th the manner of constructing and practlc ng the present invention, I shall now describe a particular embodiment of the same 1n connection with the accompanying drawings, in which, D

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectlon, partially in elevation and taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectlon taken on the line H of Figure 2; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the l1ne 5--5 of Figure 1. I

Referring to the drawings, the partlcular embodiment of the invention shown comprises a generally U-shaped body portion 5, which consists of a back wall 6 having side 45 walls 7 and 8 extending forwardly therefrom and open at the front at 9. The body 5 is preferably cast as an integral unlt of suitable wear resisting metal, such as cast steel, manganese steel or a suitable alloy, although this, of'course, may vary as desired.

The forwardly extending side walls 7 and 8 may diverge slightly toward the open front 9. The upper and lower edges of the body 5 have integral flanges and 16.

Serial No. 83,220.

These flanges are preferably formed integral with the side walls 7 and 8, and they are rounded at '17 18 and extend inwardly at 19, 20 generally normal to the side walls 7 and 8 and back wall 6. The flange 15 extends continuously about the upper edges of the walls 6, 7 and 8, from the front edge of the side wall 7 to the front edge of the side wall 8. The flange 16 similarly extends continuously about the lower edges of the walls 6, 7 and 8 from the front edge of one side wall to the front edge of the other side wall. The upper and lower edges of the scoop or bucket are thereby identical so that the device may be reversed for scooping, excavating or scraping on either of said edges, as desired.

The flanges 15 and 16 increase in width along the side walls 7 and S from the front edges of said walls to the back 6, as shown at 20 in Figure 1. I find that this produces an exceptional reinforcement or strengthening along the upper and lower edges of the device, against contracting of the walls 7 and 8 and against any other distortion or stresses to which devices of this sort are subjected. lVith this strengthening or reinforcement, cross braces or the like between the opposite sides at the open front of the device may be eliminated, as shown. The flanges 15 and 16 perform the dual function or purpose of providing scooping edges along the top and bottom and at the same time they reinforce and strengthen the entire device. The two flanges work together to provide an exceptional overall reinforcing or strengthening and they make the top and bottom of the device alike or identical so that it may be reversed or used for excavating or scraping on either its upper or lower edges. The gradual widening of the flanges 15 and 16 at- 20 provides exceptional strength at the base or back 6 and the corresponding diminishing in width or narrowing of said flanges toward the front ends of the walls 7 and 8 admirably adapts said flanges for cutting or digging ahead into the ground or other material, decreasing the resistance to the digging or cutting action toward the front edges which. of course, take into the material first.

The front ends of the flanges 15 and 16 terminate in forwardly projecting cutting blades or plow points 25 which are preferably formed integral with the body 5 and which are preferably sharpened into relatively sharp cutting edges or blades 26 shown as disposed obliquely (Figure 3), and thickened at 27 for adequate strength.

The edges of the flanges and 16 are preferably sharpened at to provide relatively sharp cuttingor digging edges within the bowl or body and entirely around the upper and lower flanges 15 and 16 thereof.

For the purpose of connecting or attaclnng the forward draft device to the bucket, the side walls 7 and 8 are provided internally with draft connections which may bev in the .side walls 7 and8 and that said side walls '7 and 8 extend externally over the same and protect said connections 40 and the attachments of the links 42 thereto against excessive wear. Asthe device is moved over the ground or other material, the connections l0 and attachment of the links 42 are kept out of wearing contact with the hard ground externally of the bucket or side walls 7 and 8. v

The cutting blades or plow pomts 25 are disposed forwardly of the connections 40 and attachment of the links 42 thereto, and break and loosen the ground or other material eXcavated-or scraped before the draft connections and attachments are subjected to the material. The material is thereby loosened up and the wear on these connections on the inside is minimized. The wear on the outside is entirely eliminated.

The links 42 may be attached at 50 to a hauling chain or cable 52 or to any other suitable or preferred draft appliance, by

' which the scraper may be drawn forwardly.

Four connecting links 42 may be employed or two only may be employed and these may be connected to the top or bottom connections 40 according to the draft desired. Normally, with the scraper operating on one edge, these links may be attached to the bottom connections 40 and when the scraper is turned over or reversed for operation on its .opposite edge, the attachment may be to the other pair of connections 40. Addition an adjustment of these connections maybe provided for, as desired.

For the purpose of hauling the scraper rearwardly, the body 5 may have a plurality of suitable draft connections 60 which may also be conveniently in the form of eyes integral with the back wall 6. Draft links for drawing the scraper rearwardly are shown at 62 and suitably attached to the connections 60 at 63.

From the foregoing, it will now be apparent that the device is simple and inexpensive. The buoket is easily made and the manufacturing and laboring costs are low- The device has effective scraping or digging action on its upper or lower side and may bereversed, as desired. The de vice has great strength and cross braces and the like are not necessary and the draft connections are protected against excessive wear. I I

The cutting edge on the front of each sidewall of the bucket and its formation there, makes it possible toreadily cut into a bank with a perpendicular-or substantially --perpe-ndicular wall.

7 U The bucket is adapted for stripping overburden mlneral deposits andin doing this work the bucket may be continuously drawn laterally into the bank or sidewise into the bank, by means of sheaves arranged at the front and rear for the cables or other elements used to haul the buckets back and forth. In starting a stripping job a straight out down to the-mineral to-be stripped is preferably made first, and then by moving the rear sheave the bucket may be brought into the bank laterally and thesharpened ends of the side walls unhampered bythe hauling cable attachments is drawn along, shaving into the bank and by holding the rear cable taut while the bucket is being drawn forward the cutting into the:

bank is expeditiously brought about, and the, bucket filled with this material from .the sides of the bank rather than with the mineral or material being stripped under or beneath the bucket. The disposition of the cable attachment inside the side walls and rearwardly of the cutting bladesfnot only protects these attachments against ex cessive wear, but eliminates anyv interference of said attachments with the. cutting action of said blades.

I do not intend to be limited to details shown or'desc'ribed.

I claim 1. A scraper comprising side wallshavin a closed back and anopen front, a pair 0 cutting and reinforcing flanges, one along the top and the other along the bottom of the scraper, and extending continuously about the upper and lower edges respectively of the side and back walls to the outerends of the side walls at the open front of the scraper and forming angular cutting blades, one at the top and one at the bottom of the end of each of said side walls, said flanges extending laterally from said side and back walls substantially normal thereto, increasing in width from the open the precise front to the'closed back of the; scraper and projecting from the top and bottom of each side of the open front to provide projecting plow points with the side walls terminating short of said projecting points between the top and bottom of the scraper.

2. A scraper comprising side walls having a closed back and an open front, a lat eral cutting and reinforcing flange extending continuously about the upper edge of the scraper and forming cutting blades at the upper edges of the outer ends of the side walls at the open front of the scraper, and a lateral cutting and reinforcing flange extending continuously about the lower edge of the scraper and forming cutting blades at the lower edges of the outer ends of the side walls at the open front of the scraper, the forward ends of said side walls being centrally removed and terminating short of said cutting blades.

3. A generally U-shaped scraper having a substantially vertical back wall and substantially vertical side walls extending substantially normal thereto and open at the front, the intermediate portions of the forward edges of said side walls being removed and a pair of angular cutting blades at the forward ends of each of said side walls, one at the upper and the other at the lower edges of said walls above and below said centrally removed portions.

4. A scraper comprising side walls having an open front and a back wall closing the back of the scraper, a lateral cutting and reinforcing flange extending continuously about the back and side walls of the scraper and projecting beyond the side walls at the open front of the scraper and forming fore wardly projecting cutting blades, the forward edges of said side walls terminating short of said projecting cutting blades and draft connections on the inner sides of said side walls rearwardly of said projecting blades and disposed wholly between the side walls, said side walls extending externally over said draft connections to enclose said connections wholly between said side walls and protect the draft connections against wear.

5. A reversible scraper having side walls open at the front and flanged along the top and bottom, angular plow points at the top and bottom of the forward end of each side wall, said plow points projecting forwardly beyond the intermediate portion of the side walls at the open front of the scraper and said intermediate side wall portions being centrally removed and terminating short of said projecting plow points.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of January, 1926.

JOHN H. GUNNISON. 

